Yeap. I rode self built Poison Trekking bike made od steel, then a trail bike Orbea Laufey from 2021 and now a self built Enduro bike Ragley Bigwig. The last one does everything inkl Bikepark and more than I am capable of in terms of jumping. I am more the grounded type of rider 😅 blue trails are still fun and I can tackle the rough stuff too. Well no one like a rock garden or a carpet full of roots anyway 😱😜
I agree with you Martyn! Been mountain biking ~35 yrs and I still grab my (modern) hardtail 99% of the time. With modern geo, better suspension forks, longer droppers, better brakes, and larger/wider wheel & tire sizes, they are incredibly capable. Obviously it can depend on the trails available and style of riding someone aspires to, but I'd rather under-bike than over-bike.
@@DB-sd3cw Actually still ride a regular hardtail bike the ebike is for recovery rides and exploration. Sadly everyone reaches that point when you’re healthy and then suddenly your’e not.
@@DB-sd3cwyou will reach that point and when you do after years of riding, do you really think you’re gonna want to give up on it? or will you go buy an e bike so you can keep enjoying your hobby. by then e bikes will probably be the norm anyway.
Modern hardcore hardtail are so much fun. I sold my 160mm enduo full Sus and got a steeln150mm hardcore hardtail. I've never had so much fun on a bike. The full Susser makes everything flat. The hardtail revitalises old trails.
Sure, we get the point…20 times more expensive though? At least compare bikes that are actually that far apart. An Orbea alma h50 is ~1.5k, that Tyee is about ~6.5k…
I recently moved somewhere very flat , after 28 years of full suss I have bought a hard tail and it’s a totally different experience. The pick up when putting your foot down is amazing and I can do miles and miles without needing to sit down . Im still getting use to it , just waiting for the weather to improve . Really happy with my purchase .
I've always gravitated towards hardtails myself. The front suspension is irreplaceable but rear suspension gets in the way more than it helps for most styles of riding.
Getting back into mountain biking after a 20 year hiatus. Tech has completely evolved from my 97 hardtail Mongoose. Bought my 1st FS 2 months ago. I'm 6' on a good day and so was recommended a size Large. Having problems adjusting to a FS 29er. Love my new bike but bought a hardtail 27.5'er in size Medium.
Exactly. It’s one thing to start on a janky hard tail and fully use up its potential. But it’s downright nonsense to pretend like going back to that after experiencing what a modern Dh or enduro bike can do is ‘fun’ or the best bike experience ever. Lol
@cavanero17 watch me smoke you on my lightweight janky hardcore hardtail on the climbs , downs and tech your full sus or downhill is overbiked heavy and slow
@@cavanero_ It's not necessarily about going back to hardtail, but rather the question if that enduro/downhill bike is 10 TIMES better than a decent hardtail? Then there is the location where the rider resides at. Where I'm at only 5-10% of terrain would ever call for a dh/enduro bike, and you'd still need to slog for hours to get to that terrain. If I ever get a full suspension bike, it will be an XC bike, simply because that would fill 98% of riding I do. To each their own, but I firmly believe that a decent modern hardtail is a lot more capable than 90% of riders out there.
Martyn, you nailed it but let's also understand, so many people can't afford to buy the expensive bike for their kids and the hard tails provide the best rugged option with lower maintenance costs for a kid to absolutely shred on , still go hit jumps, trails on an absolutely minimal budget and still have a real cool bike to cruise the neighborhood on, go to the corner store for a drink and ice cream with his mates . I love my one. Sad to hear about Andrew Chu's passing. Never a good thing losing riders in such a way.
I love hardtails! The real question and an exercise for us all is to consider the difference between 'need' and 'want'. Once we realise that we 'want' something fancy it is quite liberating. We all need to ride bikes and it's ok to want a new one!
I really think this is an important point to make to new riders, £500 does seem to be the borderline between "mtb style" hybrids/silly Amazon bike and something that is legitimately a great mountain bike. I still think the difference between my mtb in the mid 90s and what I ride now is negligible. - I've always been at the budget end of the market so maybe I don't know what I'm comparing, or perhaps ignorance is bliss though.
I was selling mountain bikes in 1992-95. I had a front suspension Stumpjumper and thought I was the bomb, haha. Most bikes were still rigid back then unless you spent a small fortune to get a front shock.
I've still got my marin Indian fire trail from 1996 with a stunning mozo pro shock and it's a fantastic bike to ride brand new back then it was £1,009 . Yeah you most definitely are right about the hardtail
You proved it and I still ride a hardtail. Given really long rides the full susser saves your ass but in terms of fun its pretty much the same for me if not more on the hardtail as its so squirelly
I have a steel hard tail and an enduro bike. The enduro bike has been inoperable for about a year and I can’t say I miss it all that much. The hard tail rips.
The question for me is: Are hardtails suitable for riders in the 120-160kg range? After all, I'm not trying break rims, blow out tubes and tires, or have to true up my spokes every trail weekend.
I had a full squish and left riding for awhile, the trails were just too busy. Got a used hardtail (specialized fuse) this time around and I haven't felt held back. I was worried because of the marketing, but I did the wasatch crest over the weekend with 4,000' of descent. I could go for lowering my fork pressure and did get rattled by the rocks, but I had a blast and never felt restricted besides slowing down because of my bad line choices and subpar riding skills.
Only ever ridden hardtails since I first started mounting biking in 91. Got three ht in my stable now. Rigid fattie, steel ss and ti enduro. It’s all I’ll ever need
Started on rigid in 1990. Rode hardtails for almost 20 years. Now on full sus. The truth is I can go way faster on it than than the hardtails. At some point the ht gets overwhelmed. And my 61 yo body takes way less of a beating.😅
For me the year mountain biking got real as 1998/9. the bike was a Kona Nu-Nu, it was the first bike I could stand over without crushing my nuts, that i could (just) put on a sub 100mm stem, and my first air fork, Marzocchi Z5. (actually the z5 came on my second one, the first one I had came with RST381s )
Yep, I'm a hardtail rider, and will always ride hardtails. I ride very steep trails with people that ride FS bikes and keep up with them with no problem. Yes, the best riders on competitions, with FS will always have the upper edge, but that doesn't translate to weekend warriors. So, I'll never budge and fall into the FS trap
I thought the same thing until I demo rode a pivot switchblade and shadowcat. 100% saving up for a good full sus now but will probably keep the hardtail
@@johndef5075 I don't think I really want to go any faster. I'm up to 30 surgeries now 😬 I'm 62 y.o. and the very fact that I can keep up or lead FS bikes is hardcore enough for me, thanks! 😁
Ride that hardtail downhill like you stole it, and end up having that shit-eating grin on your face at the bottom of the trail, knowing that you just passed or kept up with riders on fancy FS bikes...priceless 😁
Great video but why are the graphs backwards? 🤔 I bought a Vitus Sentier 275 for £600. Loved it. Upon a recommendation I decided to upgrade the wheels (waste of £300). Just "upgraded" the frame - Nukeproof Scout - we'll have to see. Dabbled with other people's FS but can't be bothered with the faff.
Raced competitively from 1996 - 2007 and continued racing for fun up to 2014. By 2000 I was riding only F/S mainly carbon bikes. Unfortunately an illness in 2013 caused me to take 10 years off. Fast forward to today and I am riding an aluminum H/T with 100mm of travel and a 1x12 drivetrain. Why, I'm 60, don't have to be the fastest guy on the trails, not doing big features and it is simpler to maintain. I also enjoy the sub 24lb weight when going uphill. F/S has its place but most riders would be better off learning how to ride on a H/T then buying a big hit bike.
Great Point! Totally 100% agree. But, the first point and the most important point of the 3 is the hardest thing to teach. No school in the world can teach it. and it is called "COMMON SENSE". In short, it might appear pointless to people in regards to this conversation if they don't agree to point number 1.
Martin , I got a ‘Dawes wildcat’ in 88, I’m with you bro,…. Yes I’m safer with my dropper, plush suss, discs, nowadays but yeah - the whole pleasure is not being on the road, breathing fresh air not diesel soot, and smelling the roses+ scaring myself once and while cos I’m not skilled enough, but boy it’s makes me smile every time. Hard tail it is !
i have my old 90's mtb. . and a modern full suspension mtb. . and i ride both. my old bike is just FUN on the trails. .just needed better tires and brakes. .. although modern bike is definitely faster on 29s
I've been racing a Saracen Kili recently, very 90s.. I also run a bike workshop so get to ride all sorts. 500 quid bikes are pretty good by comparison with the 90s Kili but not as quick off the mark, probably due to wheel weight and geometry. Getting over roots and rocks are going to be easier on the modern stuff so you'd not get so battered racing on a modern bike. 90 minutes racing the Kili is hard work, I haven't tried a modern bike in a race, had 20 years out of the cult😂 ... if I decide to race seriously next year I'll likely invest, in the meantime a couple of races at Cannock coming up for the Saracen. Cheers.
Why do you I ride hardtail and mountain bike in general? Because it's hard, challenging and I like the rough ride. Also, extensive use of "body suspension" is a good workout.
That 90s $500 bike is probably equivalent to a $5K bike in today's economy. I started on a hardtail and got my full sus last year. Still have them both but the full sus is my go to.
It all depends on the rider, the levels and the confidence in ability, if all those above are all high, then so will the thirst for spending that WONGA……!!! But yes your getting the best of the best mountain Bike right now for very little dosh, whatever those level are, in my humble opinion. The best way to put it is, all the evolution and experimentation has trickled down to all MTB manufacturers in some way or another.
Agree, think the years graph should have gone left to right instead of right to left. The $20K bike is better but only 10%? better. Unless you're a pro rider doing massive jumps etc & needing every tenth of a second, the decent hardtail is good enough for most riders. I have a 2023 Polygon Syncline C5 carbon hardtail - love it 😍 Vis on my channel.
There's a saying about fancy bikes and parts being jewellery for people who don't wear jewellery, there's probably something to it. I have my first ever visit to Hadleigh bike park on Sunday on a 20-year-old Specialised Hardrock with a leaky fork, I'll edit this if I survive
GT Zaskar?! 😂. Fat Chance Yo Eddy for steel and one of several brands for Ti, if you’re talking about the 90s (don’t bother with the aluminum crap from back then). 😁
Amazing how £ 1000 and £ 8000 bikes are 20 times different (in price) :) If, lets say, the first category is 1 pound and up and the second category is 20000 and down, then the difference would be even 20000 times :)
Hello, I know this video is like 4 months ago,but I started biking ,again.. now 40+ ,when I was young 10+ , I love to do tricks ,now I seem to lose the touch , I recently bought a hybrid bike and one mountain bike, at my age now, is it still possible to do ,cornering turns and bunny hope ,, haha, any one start biking older age??
Hi please sat upload for hounds and beagles as we have 2 beautiful brothers to show you Ref hardtails - I absolutely love my hardtail it can gravel it can xc and do more - best bike ever
Hardtails should be steel for the vibration damping properties. Alloy just doesnt cut it. A good steel HT keeps up with a short travel full sus with some tweaks to line choice.
First of all , for my style of riding and my age and medical history, soon be 60 and had 2 heart attacks , take loads of medication so my heart beat tops out at 120, can’t go like a train , but regularly do 12 mile rides in all weathers through woods , canals single track , and some rds in between, I bought a Boardman 8.6 , fittied a seat dropper post, 130 quid , great bike shimano Devore 10 speed , , air shock up front , it’s all the bike I ever need , and feels good quality everything about it , 600 quid bike ,,, the only way I could better it , is if I got an electric , mid drive with similar specs, would help me up the hills ,,, cheers lads , being totally honest glad to see one without that Anna , don’t no why but that woman gets up my tits , soon as I see her I get off the vid ,,, cheers shane uk 🇬🇧
@@LaurentiusTriarius my first bike was a Raleigh Wildcat which was a BMX with a computer screen. Light years ahead of time! I used to stack two house bricks and a plank of wood to make what the cool kids these days call a kicker!
Stats are meaningless... I still reach for my Middlechild singlespeed plusser more than any of my other 17 bikes... Cause a one speed automatic transmission is my kryptonite!! 3.0's... Yup, three point oh hell yaaaaa. And I treat them no different than I would a 2.4 tire... Piss poor fuel economy. Does around 8 miles per sandwich. Trialsy by default. My Wildcat is a Fleetwood Brougham on two wheels but the punkass, pithy singlespeed is the one that I spend the most time riding.
The worst place to be is in a dream trail and damn well know your bike can’t handle it, especially when you are bursting with confidence and ability, it’s either send it and smash the bike up or yourself up, or both, in that situation it’s YOLO !!! 😬🥶🫣 sometimes it’s way more fun when you’ve outgrown that bike but still shred the crap out of it..!? 😝
Absolutely loved this comment 👍 Another video elsewhere said Full Sus: Fast, feel nothing vs Hard T: Slower, feel everything I turned 50 this year. Bewteen two eclipses in April. Spring, baby :) Survived heart attacks, evil exes (toi many to mention), demons and monsters in politics and life. For me, a H/T makes you part of the bike - but you have to become part machine. It has rebuilt my broken body. Healed my joints; the atrophy; the fibromyalgia. I'm in the UK, but there are 10m sufferers in the US... with 10x the s*icide rate. To survive you have to become part machine. Part bike. Its cheap and the mission is then low cost serviceable nice sexy parts. In January, I was immobile in bed. Urinating in bottles. Unable to walk. Disabled. Profoundly. Barely able to breathe. I got my pain meds sorted and started cycling at dawn for one to now, upto six hours. You have to rebuild muscles, tendons, neurology, pain thresholds have to adjust. A full sus is a incredible for huge drops but for health, strength and conditioning - a hardtail all the way. M
I got a Nukeproof scout(was heavily influenced by Blake) and it’s outstanding. I’m not an incredible rider. I’m a dad and the idea of getting an injury that leaves me in bed for a while would be pretty bad. Modern hardtail can absolutely rip, but they can also be exciting on trails that tend to be a little easier and a little safer. There is absolutely terrain that they aren’t great for but that’s kinda the top 5-10% or trails. For MOST people, hardtails are amazing and far more capable than most riders
Yep. Spot on. Been back on a hardtail for nearly a year now. Miss the plush cushiness sometimes (I'm old and lazy) but don't miss the rear linkages getting all janky after a while. And I can do pretty much anything on the HT I could before, just take it a little slower. Big deal - I'm not racing.
My first bike was a 160€ mtb. Frame was made in europe. it had suntour suspension and treko disk brakes. It was perfect for my commute but i ruined it by pouring lube all over the cassette and chainrings and crankset. Just the service would cost me lot.
Thanks to Blake and his hard tail vids I picked up a Ragley Big Al at 52 years old and now I rarely ride my full suspension now . Love getting out on the hard tail again , you are so right , the tech is so good and the fun factor is awesome!!!! The only downside is most of my friends have gone the opposite direction and jumped on the e-bike trend and now I mostly just ride with my dog . Love the hard tail , hands down the most fun you can have on a trail . Cheers boys , love this !!!!!!
Well, I recently upgraded to a full suspension MTB which cost me $2400AUD, from my 15yo hardtail which cost me $1200. The full sus definitely is easier and more fun to negotiate the challenging tracks I ride ( I'm 57 btw). The only downside I have noticed with the full sus is that I can't ride it as fast on the flat due to the gearing. Anyway, I still have the hardtail if I want to ride it. And, I've never seen a graph where the date goes backward 8:30 lol, it hurts my OCD.
I recently went fs and it’s amazing for my old body. I missed having a hardtail so I’m currently building one up. Both are great bikes and have their place.
Do you agree that hardtails are the most fun? 🤔 What do you think is the most fun type of bike and style of biking? 👇
KONA HONZO ALL THE WAY
got a 2022 Orbea Laufey, I agree
HELL YEAH!!!! less maintenance more fun
Yeap. I rode self built Poison Trekking bike made od steel, then a trail bike Orbea Laufey from 2021 and now a self built Enduro bike Ragley Bigwig.
The last one does everything inkl Bikepark and more than I am capable of in terms of jumping. I am more the grounded type of rider 😅 blue trails are still fun and I can tackle the rough stuff too. Well no one like a rock garden or a carpet full of roots anyway 😱😜
Well, my Orange P7 just arrived, so of course I’m going to agree.
I agree with you Martyn! Been mountain biking ~35 yrs and I still grab my (modern) hardtail 99% of the time. With modern geo, better suspension forks, longer droppers, better brakes, and larger/wider wheel & tire sizes, they are incredibly capable. Obviously it can depend on the trails available and style of riding someone aspires to, but I'd rather under-bike than over-bike.
Riding hardtails since forever until 2021 when I got my first full suspension ebike .I’m 70 and still love riding my hardtails.
Ebike 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮👎👎👎👎
@@DB-sd3cw Let’s see how you feel about eMTB’s when you’re in your 60’s and 70’s.
@manfredstrappen7491 if I reach the point where I literally can't pedal an analog bike anymore, it's time to get another hobby.
@@DB-sd3cw Actually still ride a regular hardtail bike the ebike is for recovery rides and exploration. Sadly everyone reaches that point when you’re healthy and then suddenly your’e not.
@@DB-sd3cwyou will reach that point and when you do after years of riding, do you really think you’re gonna want to give up on it? or will you go buy an e bike so you can keep enjoying your hobby. by then e bikes will probably be the norm anyway.
Modern hardcore hardtail are so much fun. I sold my 160mm enduo full Sus and got a steeln150mm hardcore hardtail. I've never had so much fun on a bike.
The full Susser makes everything flat. The hardtail revitalises old trails.
Sure, we get the point…20 times more expensive though? At least compare bikes that are actually that far apart. An Orbea alma h50 is ~1.5k, that Tyee is about ~6.5k…
that Tyee is one of the dopest of the dope, tho.
argument still holds at 10x which is more realistic
He was talking about the $500 bike vs a 10k bike
Not the literal bikes in the camera
I recently moved somewhere very flat , after 28 years of full suss I have bought a hard tail and it’s a totally different experience. The pick up when putting your foot down is amazing and I can do miles and miles without needing to sit down .
Im still getting use to it , just waiting for the weather to improve . Really happy with my purchase .
Really, hardtail is the only MTB you need! You had to say this when I just closed a deal for my first full sus…😅
Well, you don't have to let TH-camrs make your decisions for you, so....rest easy.
Haha same here. The main thing holding me back is the additional maintenance of a fully. Hard tail serves me well enough
What you enjoy riding is what you need. If it's a fatbike or a hybrid bike let it be 😂
Me too, ridden a hard tail for 20 years. Just bought a full sus emtb. 😂
You’ll love your full Cush bike.
I've always gravitated towards hardtails myself. The front suspension is irreplaceable but rear suspension gets in the way more than it helps for most styles of riding.
Getting back into mountain biking after a 20 year hiatus. Tech has completely evolved from my 97 hardtail Mongoose. Bought my 1st FS 2 months ago. I'm 6' on a good day and so was recommended a size Large. Having problems adjusting to a FS 29er. Love my new bike but bought a hardtail 27.5'er in size Medium.
That Michael Jackson reference damnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.....even the camerman laughed!
I love my hardtail but no I'm now used to riding much faster downhill and eating up the rock gardens. Couldn't go back 😅
Exactly. It’s one thing to start on a janky hard tail and fully use up its potential. But it’s downright nonsense to pretend like going back to that after experiencing what a modern Dh or enduro bike can do is ‘fun’ or the best bike experience ever. Lol
@cavanero17 watch me smoke you on my lightweight janky hardcore hardtail on the climbs , downs and tech your full sus or downhill is overbiked heavy and slow
@@cavanero_ It's not necessarily about going back to hardtail, but rather the question if that enduro/downhill bike is 10 TIMES better than a decent hardtail?
Then there is the location where the rider resides at. Where I'm at only 5-10% of terrain would ever call for a dh/enduro bike, and you'd still need to slog for hours to get to that terrain.
If I ever get a full suspension bike, it will be an XC bike, simply because that would fill 98% of riding I do.
To each their own, but I firmly believe that a decent modern hardtail is a lot more capable than 90% of riders out there.
Martyn, you nailed it but let's also understand, so many people can't afford to buy the expensive bike for their kids and the hard tails provide the best rugged option with lower maintenance costs for a kid to absolutely shred on , still go hit jumps, trails on an absolutely minimal budget and still have a real cool bike to cruise the neighborhood on, go to the corner store for a drink and ice cream with his mates . I love my one.
Sad to hear about Andrew Chu's passing. Never a good thing losing riders in such a way.
I love hardtails! The real question and an exercise for us all is to consider the difference between 'need' and 'want'. Once we realise that we 'want' something fancy it is quite liberating. We all need to ride bikes and it's ok to want a new one!
I bought a Orange P7 and never rode my full suspension again. Bundles of fun🤙🏼
I ride both and own both, ht's and fullsus. They each have their own uses,IMO. Where's Caption Contest at? lol
unless u live by a good park (thus downhill) or whistler, a full sus is wasted imo.
I really think this is an important point to make to new riders, £500 does seem to be the borderline between "mtb style" hybrids/silly Amazon bike and something that is legitimately a great mountain bike. I still think the difference between my mtb in the mid 90s and what I ride now is negligible. - I've always been at the budget end of the market so maybe I don't know what I'm comparing, or perhaps ignorance is bliss though.
I was selling mountain bikes in 1992-95. I had a front suspension Stumpjumper and thought I was the bomb, haha. Most bikes were still rigid back then unless you spent a small fortune to get a front shock.
I've still got my marin Indian fire trail from 1996 with a stunning mozo pro shock and it's a fantastic bike to ride brand new back then it was £1,009 .
Yeah you most definitely are right about the hardtail
i completely agree with the hardtail discussion with martin
100% agree! I have a budget hard tail and it's phenomenal what you can do on it. My rigid MTB I bought in 1995....still gives me a high
Love my Hardtail....❤. Every ride is a challenge.
You proved it and I still ride a hardtail. Given really long rides the full susser saves your ass but in terms of fun its pretty much the same for me if not more on the hardtail as its so squirelly
As I just bought a GT Zaskar LT it suits me to completely agree. Very convinced here.
I have a steel hard tail and an enduro bike. The enduro bike has been inoperable for about a year and I can’t say I miss it all that much. The hard tail rips.
If you ride 100% mountain, get a full suspension bike. If you want one bike to do it all, street, gravel, mountain, hardtails are perfect.
The question for me is: Are hardtails suitable for riders in the 120-160kg range? After all, I'm not trying break rims, blow out tubes and tires, or have to true up my spokes every trail weekend.
I had a full squish and left riding for awhile, the trails were just too busy. Got a used hardtail (specialized fuse) this time around and I haven't felt held back.
I was worried because of the marketing, but I did the wasatch crest over the weekend with 4,000' of descent. I could go for lowering my fork pressure and did get rattled by the rocks, but I had a blast and never felt restricted besides slowing down because of my bad line choices and subpar riding skills.
But my question is, what about older hardtails with horizontal top tube instead of newer sloping top tube?
Only ever ridden hardtails since I first started mounting biking in 91. Got three ht in my stable now. Rigid fattie, steel ss and ti enduro. It’s all I’ll ever need
Started on rigid in 1990. Rode hardtails for almost 20 years. Now on full sus.
The truth is I can go way faster on it than than the hardtails. At some point the ht gets overwhelmed. And my 61 yo body takes way less of a beating.😅
For me the year mountain biking got real as 1998/9. the bike was a Kona Nu-Nu, it was the first bike I could stand over without crushing my nuts, that i could (just) put on a sub 100mm stem, and my first air fork, Marzocchi Z5. (actually the z5 came on my second one, the first one I had came with RST381s )
Yep, I'm a hardtail rider, and will always ride hardtails.
I ride very steep trails with people that ride FS bikes and keep up with them with no problem.
Yes, the best riders on competitions, with FS will always have the upper edge, but that doesn't translate to weekend warriors.
So, I'll never budge and fall into the FS trap
I thought the same thing until I demo rode a pivot switchblade and shadowcat. 100% saving up for a good full sus now but will probably keep the hardtail
Its not a trap. If you're that skilled I guarantee you'll go faster on full sus.
I rode hardtails for almost 20 years. No desire to go back.
@@johndef5075 I don't think I really want to go any faster. I'm up to 30 surgeries now 😬
I'm 62 y.o. and the very fact that I can keep up or lead FS bikes is hardcore enough for me, thanks! 😁
Ride that hardtail downhill like you stole it, and end up having that shit-eating grin on your face at the bottom of the trail, knowing that you just passed or kept up with riders on fancy FS bikes...priceless 😁
Great video but why are the graphs backwards? 🤔 I bought a Vitus Sentier 275 for £600. Loved it. Upon a recommendation I decided to upgrade the wheels (waste of £300). Just "upgraded" the frame - Nukeproof Scout - we'll have to see. Dabbled with other people's FS but can't be bothered with the faff.
You didn’t have to prove it to me - I was always in the “hardtails are the best” camp!
Raced competitively from 1996 - 2007 and continued racing for fun up to 2014. By 2000 I was riding only F/S mainly carbon bikes. Unfortunately an illness in 2013 caused me to take 10 years off. Fast forward to today and I am riding an aluminum H/T with 100mm of travel and a 1x12 drivetrain. Why, I'm 60, don't have to be the fastest guy on the trails, not doing big features and it is simpler to maintain. I also enjoy the sub 24lb weight when going uphill. F/S has its place but most riders would be better off learning how to ride on a H/T then buying a big hit bike.
Great Point! Totally 100% agree. But, the first point and the most important point of the 3 is the hardest thing to teach. No school in the world can teach it. and it is called "COMMON SENSE". In short, it might appear pointless to people in regards to this conversation if they don't agree to point number 1.
Martin , I got a ‘Dawes wildcat’ in 88, I’m with you bro,…. Yes I’m safer with my dropper, plush suss, discs, nowadays but yeah - the whole pleasure is not being on the road, breathing fresh air not diesel soot, and smelling the roses+ scaring myself once and while cos I’m not skilled enough, but boy it’s makes me smile every time. Hard tail it is !
i have my old 90's mtb. . and a modern full suspension mtb. . and i ride both. my old bike is just FUN on the trails. .just needed better tires and brakes. .. although modern bike is definitely faster on 29s
Wil gmbn racing be covering this years/season xc,enduro,downhill?
Live or highlights ?
I was part of group that rode that day with Andrew Chu. A lot of us took it really hard when we found he had passed -myself included.
I got my first full sus just under a year ago and then one day I rode my freinds Hardtail and I was like wow this thing is fun to ride easy to climb
I've been racing a Saracen Kili recently, very 90s.. I also run a bike workshop so get to ride all sorts.
500 quid bikes are pretty good by comparison with the 90s Kili but not as quick off the mark, probably due to wheel weight and geometry. Getting over roots and rocks are going to be easier on the modern stuff so you'd not get so battered racing on a modern bike.
90 minutes racing the Kili is hard work, I haven't tried a modern bike in a race, had 20 years out of the cult😂 ... if I decide to race seriously next year I'll likely invest, in the meantime a couple of races at Cannock coming up for the Saracen.
Cheers.
Damn it martin, you are 100 percent correct. *Goes to the garage for a ride on my flatbar gravel bike* and bypasses my 5k carbon super bike.
So glad I have two 90s GTs hard tail and LTS . Totally agree with you
I had both those bikes. And the RTS too. They still can be a lot of fun but my newer bikes are so much better in every way.
Why do you I ride hardtail and mountain bike in general?
Because it's hard, challenging and I like the rough ride. Also, extensive use of "body suspension" is a good workout.
Ridden 26” wheeled hardtails from 1991- 2024.. just got my first 29” and full sus and laughing my head off !!!
Why is the tech development graph backwards?
That 90s $500 bike is probably equivalent to a $5K bike in today's economy. I started on a hardtail and got my full sus last year. Still have them both but the full sus is my go to.
Was hoping for some more Laufey shredding
Love my Specialized Epic Hardtail.
Stanton Sherpa Ti. If I could afford to build one out I would.
I spent 800$ for a hard tail .malrin bobcat trail 4. Only upgrade is the pedals 😅 its been throgh alot
My 1998? Trek 4300 is absolutely terrifying to ride these days.
I remember it being awesome! Comparatively, it's really not functional anymore...
It all depends on the rider, the levels and the confidence in ability, if all those above are all high, then so will the thirst for spending that WONGA……!!! But yes your getting the best of the best mountain Bike right now for very little dosh, whatever those level are, in my humble opinion. The best way to put it is, all the evolution and experimentation has trickled down to all MTB manufacturers in some way or another.
I got a 2005 Kona Stinky with an upgraded Boxxer fork for $300 AUD (160 quid) last year. Show me any new bike that competes with an old downhill bike.
Agree, think the years graph should have gone left to right instead of right to left. The $20K bike is better but only 10%? better. Unless you're a pro rider doing massive jumps etc & needing every tenth of a second, the decent hardtail is good enough for most riders. I have a 2023 Polygon Syncline C5 carbon hardtail - love it 😍 Vis on my channel.
Full suspension didn't get dialed until MUCH later. 2010s I would say before they really optimized full sus performance.
There's a saying about fancy bikes and parts being jewellery for people who don't wear jewellery, there's probably something to it.
I have my first ever visit to Hadleigh bike park on Sunday on a 20-year-old Specialised Hardrock with a leaky fork, I'll edit this if I survive
GT Zaskar?! 😂. Fat Chance Yo Eddy for steel and one of several brands for Ti, if you’re talking about the 90s (don’t bother with the aluminum crap from back then). 😁
I love my Specialized Rockhopper!
My 56 year old knees and ankles respectfully disagree.
A f/s doesn’t make tech trails that much smoother. I ride both and your legs are your primary suspension.
At 56 myself, hardtails are still my winter choice.
Had both, would never go back to a hardtail lol.
22:03 Was I the only one who noticed Braydon Bringhursts comment?
Hi I have a giant talon 3 and love it the best bike I've ever owned
Amazing how £ 1000 and £ 8000 bikes are 20 times different (in price) :) If, lets say, the first category is 1 pound and up and the second category is 20000 and down, then the difference would be even 20000 times :)
Actually more than 80% who owns fs doesn't need them, its just a marketing thing. Personally i drive hardtail, and happy with that
Hello, I know this video is like 4 months ago,but I started biking ,again.. now 40+ ,when I was young 10+ , I love to do tricks ,now I seem to lose the touch , I recently bought a hybrid bike and one mountain bike, at my age now, is it still possible to do ,cornering turns and bunny hope ,, haha, any one start biking older age??
Please play another game of trick cards ❤
The fear factor of Michael Jackson on a MTB with a ride on is way up there with Freddie Kruger and the Boogie man😦
I’m surprised nobody is talking about the Michael Jackson joke 9:00 - 9:10
Hi please sat upload for hounds and beagles as we have 2 beautiful brothers to show you
Ref hardtails - I absolutely love my hardtail it can gravel it can xc and do more - best bike ever
Iv been questioning weather hardtail mtbs are the better bike for awhile and now this prooves it, thanks 😊. Does anyone want to buy a full sus mtb😂
Hardtails should be steel for the vibration damping properties. Alloy just doesnt cut it. A good steel HT keeps up with a short travel full sus with some tweaks to line choice.
Sticking with an aluminum hardtail. Who tf wants a 40lb hardtail lmao
@DB-sd3cw my hardtail made from Reynolds tubing is about 12kg or 26lbs in Yank units. I haven't even seen steel full sussers over 40lb??
@kingflynxi9420 no it isn't
@@DB-sd3cw what????
First of all , for my style of riding and my age and medical history, soon be 60 and had 2 heart attacks , take loads of medication so my heart beat tops out at 120, can’t go like a train , but regularly do 12 mile rides in all weathers through woods , canals single track , and some rds in between, I bought a Boardman 8.6 , fittied a seat dropper post, 130 quid , great bike shimano Devore 10 speed , , air shock up front , it’s all the bike I ever need , and feels good quality everything about it , 600 quid bike ,,, the only way I could better it , is if I got an electric , mid drive with similar specs, would help me up the hills ,,, cheers lads , being totally honest glad to see one without that Anna , don’t no why but that woman gets up my tits , soon as I see her I get off the vid ,,, cheers shane uk 🇬🇧
I'm 65 years old full suspension is the best
Hardtail MTB 💪🚴🤙🚴
Where is the GMBN racing MTB World Cup season preview?
You merely adopted the hardtail. I was born on one, molded by it. I didn't see a full sus until i was already a man.
Excellent, sir! I couldn't have said it better!
All the cool kids in my neighborhood had BMX's. Mountain bikes, wtf is that dude? 😂
@@LaurentiusTriarius my first bike was a Raleigh Wildcat which was a BMX with a computer screen. Light years ahead of time! I used to stack two house bricks and a plank of wood to make what the cool kids these days call a kicker!
Budget hardtail, how much was that orbea 1200?
i've entered a local enduro on my scout, my legs are not happy with me :)
to ride in good, flat, terrain, maybe...
When I started racing XC back in the Mid 80's they were all totally Rigid! The would shake the fillings out of your teeth on a nasty downhill!
once I rode a dual suspension bike I could NEVER go back to that tooth rattling experience of a hardtail.
So a modern hardtail is equivalent to a bike available in 1995?
The bikes you show are not one twenty times the price of the other, one is 8 times the price of the other roughly.
HT is only bike i dont really need, Fullsus all the way.
#captioncontest when Martyn is distracted by hardtails, you can almost guarantee he’s going to forget the caption contest
I have 3 hardtails and one full sus. The hardtails are more fun and take less effort at the end of the ride to clean.
Hardtail for XC and most trails. Full sus for rougher trails, enduro and DH.
Pros dont use hardtails for XC. They would if they were faster. But sadly.....
Hardtails rule 🤘
Stats are meaningless... I still reach for my Middlechild singlespeed plusser more than any of my other 17 bikes... Cause a one speed automatic transmission is my kryptonite!! 3.0's... Yup, three point oh hell yaaaaa. And I treat them no different than I would a 2.4 tire... Piss poor fuel economy. Does around 8 miles per sandwich. Trialsy by default. My Wildcat is a Fleetwood Brougham on two wheels but the punkass, pithy singlespeed is the one that I spend the most time riding.
I can't agree with you. Go and try the ABSA Cape Epic on a hard tail.
Right. And my Epic accelerates like a hardtail and is lighter than many.
Been there done that with hardtails. No desire to go back
That propain is a 5k bike? Not 10k 😂
Anyone else driven nuts by the graph running right to left? 😂
The worst place to be is in a dream trail and damn well know your bike can’t handle it, especially when you are bursting with confidence and ability, it’s either send it and smash the bike up or yourself up, or both, in that situation it’s YOLO !!! 😬🥶🫣 sometimes it’s way more fun when you’ve outgrown that bike but still shred the crap out of it..!? 😝
I am the suspension. I'm 62 years young and loving my rigid single speed.
Ive tried that. Enjoying my full sus much more at 61. Different strokes....having fun is all that matters in the end.
Good for you
this comment is goals for me. glad to hear youre living the dream brother!
Absolutely loved this comment 👍
Another video elsewhere said
Full Sus: Fast, feel nothing
vs
Hard T: Slower, feel everything
I turned 50 this year. Bewteen two eclipses in April. Spring, baby :)
Survived heart attacks, evil exes (toi many to mention), demons and monsters in politics and life. For me, a H/T makes you part of the bike - but you have to become part machine.
It has rebuilt my broken body. Healed my joints; the atrophy; the fibromyalgia. I'm in the UK, but there are 10m sufferers in the US... with 10x the s*icide rate.
To survive you have to become part machine. Part bike. Its cheap and the mission is then low cost serviceable nice sexy parts.
In January, I was immobile in bed. Urinating in bottles. Unable to walk. Disabled. Profoundly. Barely able to breathe. I got my pain meds sorted and started cycling at dawn for one to now, upto six hours.
You have to rebuild muscles, tendons, neurology, pain thresholds have to adjust. A full sus is a incredible for huge drops but for health, strength and conditioning - a hardtail all the way. M
Wishing I had the cash for a rigid gravel bike.
Went hardtail first… one step at a time 🤓☺️
I got a Nukeproof scout(was heavily influenced by Blake) and it’s outstanding. I’m not an incredible rider. I’m a dad and the idea of getting an injury that leaves me in bed for a while would be pretty bad. Modern hardtail can absolutely rip, but they can also be exciting on trails that tend to be a little easier and a little safer. There is absolutely terrain that they aren’t great for but that’s kinda the top 5-10% or trails. For MOST people, hardtails are amazing and far more capable than most riders
My rationale for a hardtail as well! Well-said.
Yep. Spot on. Been back on a hardtail for nearly a year now. Miss the plush cushiness sometimes (I'm old and lazy) but don't miss the rear linkages getting all janky after a while. And I can do pretty much anything on the HT I could before, just take it a little slower. Big deal - I'm not racing.
I'm coming up to 78 and still on hardtail ,tubeless has transformed the ride big tyres and less inflation 👌😎
I’ve had $8,000 full sus bikes. BORING! To me nothing is more fun than my Trek Roscoe 8 hardtail.
My first bike was a 160€ mtb. Frame was made in europe. it had suntour suspension and treko disk brakes. It was perfect for my commute but i ruined it by pouring lube all over the cassette and chainrings and crankset. Just the service would cost me lot.
Thanks to Blake and his hard tail vids I picked up a Ragley Big Al at 52 years old and now I rarely ride my full suspension now . Love getting out on the hard tail again , you are so right , the tech is so good and the fun factor is awesome!!!! The only downside is most of my friends have gone the opposite direction and jumped on the e-bike trend and now I mostly just ride with my dog . Love the hard tail , hands down the most fun you can have on a trail . Cheers boys , love this !!!!!!
Well, I recently upgraded to a full suspension MTB which cost me $2400AUD, from my 15yo hardtail which cost me $1200. The full sus definitely is easier and more fun to negotiate the challenging tracks I ride ( I'm 57 btw). The only downside I have noticed with the full sus is that I can't ride it as fast on the flat due to the gearing. Anyway, I still have the hardtail if I want to ride it.
And, I've never seen a graph where the date goes backward 8:30 lol, it hurts my OCD.
I know, I was trying to work it out as the dates are so small?
I recently went fs and it’s amazing for my old body. I missed having a hardtail so I’m currently building one up. Both are great bikes and have their place.
@@tico78742 I rode my hardtail the other day and it was a lot harder than my new bike. And no dropper seat was inconvenient.
@@okidoke4822 I'm attempting to install a dropper this evening!